Senior English

English is, of course, one of the ‘core’ subjects. Luckily for one afforded such importance, it is also one of the most popular within the Senior School; an opportunity for our children to stretch their minds whilst enjoying the learning process.

We seek to develop the literacy of pupils in the very fullest sense of that word; fostering an engagement with language and meaning that enables all to become fluent readers, writers, speakers and listeners. We ask, too, that pupils reflect carefully upon the themes and ideas with which they find themselves confronted – ambition, love, friendship, conflict, power – and this, in turn, forces them to consider that most essential of all questions: What does it mean to be human?

We achieve this by exposing pupils to a number of outstanding texts, from mainstays of the curriculum such as A Christmas Carol, Lord of the Flies and Macbeth, to contemporary classics such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Trips to the theatre and a programme of visitors, including our writer-in-residence, James Benmore, work to broaden horizons. In addition, pupils engage with a variety of digital, film and print media, and are encouraged to develop those skills and insights that will enable them to assume a role as compassionate and mature members of society.